Hives Or Urticaria In Children – 11 Causes & 6 Symptoms You Should Be Aware Of

Image : Shutterstock

Does your child suffer from allergic skin reactions? Is he experiencing intense scratching or itchiness? Are you concerned about his health condition? If you said yes, you can relate to the following post. Here we are talking about the disease of Hives or Urticaria, which usually affects children.

What Is Hives (Urticaria)?

The disease of hives causes whitish or reddish itchy welts on the skin surface. These skin welts may be big or small and typically fade away with time. Children suffering from chronic hives develop skin welts, which last for more than six months, but can also recur after few months. Though chronic health is not a life-threatening condition, it makes the child feel uncomfortable and irritable due to the itchy sensation.

The pale red bumps appearing on the skin surface occur due to allergic reactions. Sometimes dust allergy can trigger hives. The itching sensation is common in most sufferers, but some may even encounter feelings of burn or sting. The sk

in bumps can appear anywhere including the tongue, lips, throat, hands or ears (1).

Causes Of Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

what causes hives in children? Well, hives are allergic skin reaction, which occurs due to the chemicals present in food, insect bites or higher exposures to sun rays. Such allergic reactions increase the level of histamine in human blood. The release of histamine causes inflammation of the skin, and the itchy rashes develop on different parts of the body. When the skin welts appear on the face or lips, it is Angioedema.

There are numerous factors, which trigger hives some of the common causes of hives in children are:

Consuming allergy-prone food group like eggs, nuts, fish, etc.

Strong hypertensive drugs or pain killers.

A thyroid disorder or cancer.

Acute sensitivity to sun rays or temperature.

Excessive sweating.

Insect bites.

Emotional stress.

Allergy caused out of pollens.

Animal dander (especially cats).

Alcohol or chemical-based food additives.

Pressure induced on the skin surface from a tight waistband.

Intense scratching. (2)

[ Read: Tips To Prevent Warts In Children ]

Symptoms Of Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

Some of the noticeable symptoms of hives in children are:

Skin welts that are reddish or whitish in appearance. The rashes are prevalent to occur on the face, arms, ears and legs of your children.

The skin welts may vary in size and shape and gradually fades in due duration.

Intense skin itching.

The skin swelling may sometimes cause pain or burning sensation inside the throat, genitals, cheeks, hands or feet. Such a condition is called Angioedema.

Skin rashes may recur after few months.

Acute hives usually persist for 24 hours, but children with chronic hives may encounter the itchy skin rashes for more than six weeks (3).

[ Read: Eczema In Children ]

Diagnosing Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

At first, the doctor will want to know your child’s entire medical history, whether he is allergic to a certain food group or he takes regular medications which can be the reason for the hives. After such inquiries, the doctor may recommend performing a blood test, urine test, and skin patching test. If your child suffers from chronic hives, the doctor may ask you to take some medical tests, including:

A CBC or complete blood count test, to diagnose whether your child is suffering from anemia.

Thyroid profiling tests the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and detects any thyroid disorders.

How To Treat Hives In Children?

In most of the cases, the symptoms of hives are mild and fade away in a day or two. But if the itchy skin rash persists for more than one week, the doctor may prescribe some medications, which include:

Antihistamines:

Antihistamines are common medications for skin hives in children. They block the production of histamine in the blood and reduce the occurrence of itchy rashes. The medications are highly effective and have lesser side-effects.

Corticosteroids:

Corticosteroids medicines like Prednisolone are effective for treating hives. However, be sure to take these medications only after you consult a medical practitioner.

Epinephrine Medication:

Doctors may prescribe such medications for severe hives. An injection of epinephrine into the person’s body and can help relieve skin irritation. But self-medication is highly restricted, as it can lead to anaphylaxis, a fatal breathing disorder. (5)

Home Remedies To Cure Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

Some of the following measures act as effective home remedies for hives:

If the child has a higher tendency to perspire, make him take a shower and apply a soothing body lotion (6).

[ Read: Molluscum Contagiosum In Children ]

Complications Of Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

Severe or chronic urticaria in children can lead to several health complexities, such as:

Breathing disorder

Serious allergic reactions

Rheumatoid arthritis

Thyroid disease

Type 1 diabetes (7)

Seeking Medical Advice For Hives (Urticaria) In Children:

If your child suffers from hives, you should seek medical guidance as soon as possible. Parents should remain aware of their child’s health conditions and check the skin rash regularly. If the skin rash seems to spread to other parts of the body, visit the doctor immediately.

If your child experiences the following symptoms, you may visit your doctor:

Intense itching and burning sensation in the affected area.

Skin rashes that continue to appear for several days.

Feel of dizziness.

Shortness of breath or chest tightness.

Swollen throat or rashes appearing inside the mouth or near gums.

Children with severe hives, experience discomfort in performing their daily activities. If the skin rashes persist for a longer duration of time, parents should take requisite medical guidance immediately.

Hope you liked our post on hives or urticaria in children. Did your child suffer from hives? What medications did you use? Tell us about it below.

Recommended Articles:

Ototoxicity In Children – 16 Symptoms & 4 Treatments You Should Be Aware Of

Hirschsprung Disease In Children – Everything You Need To Know

5 Effective Treatments To Cure Fifth Disease In Kids

Smallpox In Children – 3 Causes, 6 Symptoms & 5 Treatments You Should Be Aware Of